Heaving too with a self-tacking jib

[HappyHunter]

I was reading the post about heaving too, and there have been recent articles in the yachting press on the subject.

However, if you have a self-tacking jib (as I do) is it possible to heave to without some resorting to some physical method of stopping the sail from tacking.

 

[AndrewB]

No.

It is virtually essential to hold the clew of the foresail to windward. The opposition of the foresail pushing the yacht's headaway from the wind and the rudder turned to bring the yacht upwind is what creates the stable hove-to position.

On my cutter rig, the self-tacking staysail has its own boom and is sheeted from a traveller. The quickest way to heave-to is to fix the traveller on the extreme windward end and sheet in hard.

 

[rogerroger]

someone on this forum wrote that he ties his jib to a stantion - I can't imagine that's a very good idea though as they're not supposed to take much force...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[peterk]

hi,
I use my staysail with a windsurfer type wishbone boom.
For heaving to I tie the end of this
to a windward lower shroud
- that of course works with a regular boom too.

...peter, www.juprowa.com/kittel

 

[chriscallender]

On my boat, there is a block on either end of the track which the traveller for the self tacking jib slides along. And there are two lines led from the traveller through these blocks to a cleat on either side of the cockpit. So in that way I can hold the traveller on either side of the track from the cockpit and heaving to is no problem, I just lock up the self tacking mechanism and then go about to back the jib.

The lines also useful for pulling the traveller across in very light winds when there is too much friction for the traveller to self tack.

 

[HappyHunter]

The last post sounds a good idea. Shall check out the viability this weekend. Many thanks